Nothing says autumn like a hearty soup. This is a staple in our household this time of year, as it certainly fits the bill – it all but screams turtlenecks, new notebooks, and pots of chrysanthemums on the front porch.

This recipe makes my all time favorite soup, ever. I’ve tweaked the original recipe a bit – the original recipe called for both Velveeta and condensed cream of potato soup. It may need a few more changes, but even as-is, I can’t resist helping myself to a second bowl!

And just to note… you’ll need a stock pot for this recipe – it makes quite a bit. We freeze about half of it for nights we’d like comfort food in a hurry.

Cheesy Wild Rice Soup

adapted from Leanne and David’s recipe
makes many, many servings

Ingredients

1 cup long grain/wild rice mix

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup all purpose flour

4 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 cups chopped celery

1-2 cups thinly chopped carrots

1-2 cups chopped onion

2 yellow potatoes, peeled and diced

6 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb shredded cheese

Directions

Prepare rice with 2 cups broth. Do not drain. Meanwhile, in large pot, saute carrots in butter for about 10 minutes. Add other vegetables, garlic, and potatoes until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 1 minute.

Slowly add in milk, remaining broth, and rice. Bring mixture to a simmer (do not boil) until carrots are soft, 20 to 25 minutes.

Whisk in cheese mixture one handful at a time until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

We’ve never eaten stromboli before, so I can’t say this is an authentic recipe, or could even officially be categorized as stromboli. Over at Fix Me A Snack Cindy affectionately refers to them as Pizza Pinwheels, and we just might steal that name. They’re fun to eat (particularly with ranch dipping sauce), but the name stromboli just sounds so official. Pizza pinwheels it is!

Allow the dough to come close to room temperature so that it is easy to work with. Shape into a 6×14 inch rectangle.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Spread on the olive oil then the sauce, cheese, and mushrooms. Tightly roll up the dough and pinch the loose edge to adhere it to the roll.

Using a serrated knife, slice the log into 2-inch segments. Gently reshape the segments into circles and place 2-3″ apart, swirl side up, on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 8 minutes or until the dough starts to brown. Allow the stromboli to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet. Serve or transfer to a cooling rack. The stromboli can be frozen in an airtight container for up to a month.

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot. Melt butter in 12 inch skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in squash and zucchini and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, wine, 2/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste; cover and keep warm.

It’s almost that time of year — lunch box time! It’s just my husband and I right now, so I only have two non-picky palates to please. Easy, right? For the most part, yes… even so, it can still be a struggle to keep lunches exciting and fresh day in and day out.

I’ve scoured the internet and have compiled some fun ideas for the upcoming year. I printed off this list and have it hanging on the fridge for future reference. Who knows – maybe it’ll spark our healthy snacking life, too!

In a large pot, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Meanwhile, whisk together the vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small bowl. Place the zucchini, eggplants, and onion on a baking sheet. Brush with the vinaigrette. Heat broiler on high. Broil until tender, 6 minutes per side. Reduce heat to 350.

Chop the roasted vegetables. Place the empty pasta pot over low heat. Add the garlic and the remaining oil and cook for 3 minutes.

I haven’t been a very consistent blogger the past month or two… but that just gives me all the more ammo for my latest edition of Scrumptious Sunday! Here are some recipes that may be making their debut in our home in the near future. As always, click on the pictures for links to each recipe.

cheesy puff pull apart bread from How Sweet It Is

twice-baked potatoes from Dinner: A Love Story

brownies from Beantown Baker

zesty Asian inspired marinade from Green Lite Bites

soft white hamburger buns from Cook Like a Champion

cheesy artichoke French Breads from How Sweet It Is

popover upsidedown pizza from Recipe Shoebox

mall pretzels from Elephantine

As a side note, it seems I can always tell my latest pregnancy cravings from Scrumptious Sunday links. This week: cheese and bread (preferably, but not necessarily, together).